The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-05

chronic diarrhpa, which is susceptible
of proof, but it is not accepted that
under all circumstances it is a necessary
result following chronic diarrhGa,
though by reason of reduced or ex-
tremely emaciated physical condition,
either from chronic diarrhpa or from
any other like facilitating cause, it may
follow and pension be obtained Fis-
lula, rheumatism, disease of heart and
general debility may also result from
chronic diarrhoa. Rheumatism may
result in disease of heart and changes
in the structure of the joints of the
body; scurvy in loss of teeth, disease
of heart and general debility; typhoid
fever in diarrhpa and arrangement of
the nervous system; malarial poison
ing in enlarged spleen and disease of
the stomach and liver; smallpox in
disease of eyes; measles in disease of
lungs; sunstroke in paralysis, blindness,
epilepsy and disease of the heart. These
few cases are given as an illustration.
Rheumatism is very common among
the sailors at the present time and is a
disease for which pensions are given in
large numbers and at high rates.
Rheumatism actually contracted in the
service may not have troubled the SOL
der until years after his discharge and
return home. The best authorities recog-
nize the existence of peculiar consti-
tutional condition spoken of as the
" rheumatic diathesis," implying that
in a given case all the elements may
exist in latent state for the develop
ment of rheumatism whenever these
! al al, to ,.n
called into activity. An attack of rheu-
matism is often found to occur after
some exposure to dampness, and may
be either general or local, affecting sew
eral organs or only a single organ
tissue or joint, choosing place for its
development where wound, sprain, a
local injury or dislocation has occurred,
in which cases the injury is not to be
considered the cause of the rheumatism
| but as determining its location. 1t is
not always possible to distinguish be-
tween neuralgia and rheumatic pains
upon testimony, and claimants in prose.
cutting such cases are not required
to do So 1t is g the results " of a con-
dition caused by the service in the
army. Many soldier who has never
applied for pension when he looks al
his case in the same light that the pen
sion office would considerit if presented
will discover that he TOO has meri
torious claim. A soldier may fail to OBJ
tain pension by not having his appli
cation properly made The pension
office will not give pension on disa
bility not alleged and claimed in tn,
applications; neither will it advise {
claimant how his application ought tC
be made. A recent case will illustrat,
the advantage of employing skilled
workman in making the application. A
soldier who had contracted chroni,
diarrhpa in the army, which had re
suited in piles, heart disease and othe
diseases that wholly untitled him TO
manual labor, employed an attorne,
without much experience to make tn
application. The attorney based tn
claim on piles alone, and after Ion!
and tedious delay pension of Sc
month was granted when the pension
should have been $24 month, an,
would have been had the application
alleged chronic diarrhea and its result
in proper way. This claimant after
ward employed a competent attorney
who procured an additional pension
making it S24 month.